Airbus A319 Cabin Smoke Incident at Prague

Incident Overview and Immediate Response On July 3, 2006, EasyJet Airlines Switzerland SA flight EZS1061, operating an Airbus A319-111 with registration HB-JZH, was en route from Basel-Mulhouse (LFSB) to Prague (LKPR). During descent from flight level 350, approximately 25 minutes before landing, a flight attendant reported a strong, irritating odor originating in the rear galley and spreading forward into the passenger cabin. The odor caused eye irritation and coughing among cabin crew. The attendant immediately switched off the coffee makers, which had been in use. The pilot-in-command and first officer personally inspected the cabin and rear galley, identifying the smell as that of a burning accumulator battery, possibly due to an electrical short circuit. The pilot set the air conditioning system to maximum performance and continued the approach to Prague using the ILS 06 procedure. ## Priority Landing and Post-Landing Actions At 10:43 UTC, while below flight level 150, the pilot declared a PAN-PAN call and requested a priority landing at Prague. The aircraft landed without difficulty at 10:55 UTC and was parked at stand 11. Cabin doors were opened to allow passengers to disembark and to ventilate the cabin. Passengers in the last three rows, who had reported eye irritation, had been moved to the forward cabin before landing. The pilot completed a written report and telephoned SR Technics in Zurich about the situation. ## Investigation and Technical Findings The Czech Institute for the Investigation of Causes of Aircraft Accidents (ÚZPLN) received the report from air traffic control and notified the Swiss AAIB in accordance with Annex 13. An accredited ČSA technician inspected the rear galley, electrical installation, and appliances after landing but did not identify the source of the odor. SR Technics recommended a return flight to Basel-Mulhouse with the No. 1 and No. 2 coffee makers in the rear galley disconnected under MEL 2-123 and MEL 2124, valid until July 14, 2006. The pilot completed the return flight with a delay of 1 hour 05 minutes, and the flight proceeded without issues. ## Conclusions and Safety Recommendations The Czech investigation authority transferred the technical investigation to the Swiss AAIB. Information received indicated a technical fault that was addressed by replacing the No. 1 and No. 2 coffee makers in the rear galley on July 10, 2006, after which SR Technics canceled the associated MEL. A final report from the Swiss AAIB had not yet been provided at the time of the Czech report. The Swiss AAIB left the determination of safety recommendations to the operator, EasyJet Airlines Switzerland SA. No injuries, fatalities, or aircraft damage were reported, and no fire occurred on board.